Pitching

Batting

CANTON, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican softball team closed out the regular season with a 4-0 and 9-1 sweep over Malone Saturday afternoon in Canton, Ohio, clinching a bid in the GLIAC Tournament.

The Panthers finished the regular season with an overall record of 22-26-1 (17-9 GLIAC) while the Pioneers ended their season with a record of 8-29 (2-23). ODU is currently fifth in the GLIAC standings, with several teams still having games to play on Sunday, but the Panthers can not drop below the sixth seed.

In game one, the Panther bats caught fire in the third inning, scoring three runs on four hits. Sophomore Alex Cribari (Lyndhurst, Ohio) started the inning with a one-out single up the middle and senior Brooke McCartney (Salem, Ohio) followed with a single to left field. Junior Caitlin Jividen (Wheeling, W. Va.) reached first on a bunt single and advanced to second after an error by the catcher which allowed Cribari to score. Sophomore Taylor Thomas (Bellville, Ohio) kept the inning going with a single up the middle, scoring both McCartney and Jividen.

ODU extended its lead 4-0 in the sixth after a leadoff single by sophomore Brier Sanner (Hartville, Ohio) to center field. Freshman Kelsey Albanese (Westerville, Ohio) reached on an infield single, and both runners advanced after a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kelsey Seeds (Westerville, Ohio). Cribari's single drove Sanner home.

Sophomore Rachael Stanzel (Angleton, Texas) went the distance for the Panthers to earn her 14th win of the season. She struck out a season-high eight batters.

In game two, the Pioneers took an early 1-0 lead on a single through the left side of the infield by Marionna Cane.

The game quickly shifted gears when the Panther bats exploded in the third. Jividen singled to left field to start the inning. Thomas reached on an error by the Pioneer infield. Stanzel batted in her first RBI of the game after laying down a sacrifice bunt to score Jividen. Seeds kept the momentum going with an infield RBI single scoring Thomas. The bats stayed alive and the Panthers tacked on two more runs for the 4-1 lead.

Ohio Dominican added a run in the fourth when Thomas singled to center field.

In the sixth inning, the Panthers added four more runs to their total, giving them a 9-1 lead and earning the six inning victory.

Sophomore Brandis Fishel (Gahanna, Ohio) picked up her eighth win of the season while recording two strikeouts.